ATLANTA — Kyle Shanahan thought the one which received away Sunday was Marcus Mariota on a third-and-long scramble, which, certain sufficient, saved alive an Atlanta Falcons’ drive that provided the deciding factors.
The 49ers had their shot to reply. Repeatedly.
Second-half drops by Ray-Ray McCloud and Charlie Woerner, adopted by an interception off a Falcons’ collision with Deebo Samuel, ruined the 49ers’ comeback bid in a 28-14 defeat Sunday.
These have been the larger ones that received away.
These offensive follies torpedoed the 49ers in an out-of-character, pass-oriented assault, one thing they resorted to in battling out of a 14-0 first-quarter gap.
The 49ers (3-3) received shut out within the second half. They wanted their offense to make up for the shortcomings anticipated (and delivered) from their protection, which entered with out six injured starters after which misplaced star cornerback Charvarius Ward earlier than halftime.
Therefore, this script would have flipped had McCloud not dropped Jimmy Garoppolo’s 45-yard bomb on the Falcons’ 25-yard line, two snaps into the second half. On the 49ers’ subsequent possession, Woerner dropped a 25-yard cross at Atlanta’s 30-yard line, spoiling his personal twenty fifth birthday. When Garoppolo’s cross to Samuel was deflected and intercepted, the quarterback was aghast at why a pass-interference penalty was waived off.
“I wouldn’t say it messes together with your psyche,” Kittle stated of the offense’s aura. “It’s slightly disappointing however guys react in another way. Hopefully the fellows who dropped it are OK and are assured in themselves as a result of they’re good soccer gamers and may bounce again.”
Kittle and Garoppolo stated these deep pictures have been within the works Wednesday, they usually simply didn’t work when wanted Sunday.
Listed below are 10 issues that caught my eye for why the 49ers aren’t 4-2 after a 10-day East Coast journey:
10. MARIOTA’S LEGS
Shanahan wasn’t alone in agonizing over Mariota’s third-and-long escape up the center. So, too, was defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, who despatched six cross rushers after Mariota in hopes that blitz would repay like so many did final Sunday at Carolina.
“We’ve received to make a play once we ship six guys. Any individual’s received to get him down,” Ryans instructed me as he exited the locker room.
Ryans implored his defenders to do their job, they usually repeatedly did not include the sting, one thing Samson Ebukam and Sam Womack fell sufferer to on Mariota keepers, together with his 3-yard landing run previous Womack solely 57 seconds earlier than halftime. Safeties Talanoa Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson Sr. didn’t play their greatest video games, both.
9. MARIOTA’S ARM
Defensive finish Charles Omenihu has been wowed by Mariota’s dual-threat means since his Oregon days, so Sunday’s act was “not a shock. We’ve received to do higher and execute higher,” Omenihu stated.
Mariota’s passing line was nearly stunningly good. He didn’t have an incompletion till his 14th and ultimate cross. A 37-yard completion to Olamide Zaccheaus on third-and-2 in opposition to security Gipson sparked the Falcons’ opening drive. Tight finish Kyle Pitts solely had 19 yards on three catches.
8. RUN GAME WOES
Gaining solely 50 speeding yards on simply 16 carries confirmed that the 49ers’ run recreation wasn’t on its “A” recreation. Probably the most damaging run was Jeff Wilson Jr.’s third-down fumble that the Falcons returned for a landing and 14-0 lead.
Probably the most defining examples, nevertheless, about their run-game woes got here on their penultimate possession. Quite than run up the center on third-and-1, Garoppolo opted to not sneak the ball (in opposition to a decent defensive entrance) and as an alternative pitched it to Tevin Coleman, who was stopped for a 1-yard loss. Fourth-and-2 is a state of affairs the place Shanahan typically frowns on calling for a quarterback sneak, so, as an alternative, he known as on Garoppolo to strive passing the ball to Samuel, and an incompletion into tight protection ensued with 2:34 remaining.
Wilson, after speeding for 120 yards final recreation, was restricted to 25 yards on seven carries. Coleman had simply 3 yards on 4 carries, Samuel 11 yards on two carries. Elijah Mitchell and working lanes (and perhaps ex-49er Raheem Mostert) are all dearly missed.
7. TACKLE TROUBLE
Mike McGlinchey limped off with a calf damage, gutted out a return earlier than halftime, then was shelved. That despatched in Daniel Brunskill, their former beginning proper guard and one-time heart who solely received just a few snaps at proper deal with in Wednesday’s follow.
At left deal with, with Trent Williams out a 3rd straight recreation and Colton McKivitz on injured reserve, Jaylon Moore received one other begin. All in all, Garoppolo had time to throw Sunday. However the 49ers can sick afford extra deal with accidents.
6. McCLOUD’S RETURN
McCloud had fairly the afternoon except for his third-quarter drop. He received evaluated for a concussion after a 35-yard punt return to the Falcons’ 32-yard line. It was the 49ers’ longest punt return since Trent Taylor’s 39-yard effort again in 2017, and it had the potential to be their first landing on a punt return since Ted Ginn Jr.’s within the 2011 opener. The 49ers cashed in McCloud’s one and solely punt return with a tying landing. He averaged 24.7 yards on three kick returns.
5. GAROPPOLO’S ACCURACY
Garoppolo accomplished a season-best 70.7 % of his passes, and regardless of just a few drops, his 29 completions have been his most since his first-ever dwelling begin with the 49ers (31, vs. Tennessee in December 2017).
His stat line: 29-of-41, 296 yards, two touchdowns to Brandon Aiyuk, and two interceptions. The primary interception was on a 40-yard, throw-it-up bomb towards double-covered Deebo Samuel to finish the primary half, and Garoppolo acknowledged that quarterbacks despise how such interceptions tarnish a stat line. The second interception befuddled him, in that he ideas a pass-interference flag ought to have been enforced for the collision Samuel endured on that fourth-quarter cross.
True, the 49ers wanted extra from Garoppolo to rally the offense and canopy for his or her injury-laden protection. Or, have a look at it because the offense ought to have rallied higher round Garoppolo.
4. NO BOSA
The 49ers survived final Sunday’s second half with out Bosa as a result of that they had a 17-3 halftime lead in opposition to a nasty workforce. The Falcons (3-3) have one of many league’s greatest run defenses. You know the way the 49ers will say Bosa is greater than a cross rusher? This confirmed how a lot they missed his run protection in sealing an edge.
They didn’t need his groin difficulty to worsen, in order that they relied on different edge rushers, and much more assist was wanted with Samson Ebukam battling Achilles ache. Drake Jackson got here by way of together with his third sack, however he needed to play by way of ache in a knee that was hit by a helmet. Omenihu additionally received his third sack, the 49ers’ solely different sack on Mariota.
3. Y.A.C. BROS UNITE
Aiyuk, Kittle and Samuel put up comparable receiving stats. That must be encouraging for what may very well be an offensive shootout subsequent Sunday in opposition to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
Aiyuk and Kittle each had eight receptions for 83 yards however completely different types. Aiyuk had sleek gallops into the top zone, whereas Kittle fought laborious and required a number of defenders to topple him.
Samuel produced seven catches for 79 yards, plus two runs for 11 yards. It’s been odd that the 49ers haven’t accomplished extra quick pitches to him in movement by way of the backfield.
“Now we have a really gifted workforce. Our offense has high guys that may get (yards after the catch),” Kittle stated.
2. RUN DEFENSE
It wasn’t a lot the standard of the Falcons’ No. 3-ranked speeding assault however relatively their amount of carries: 40, a “magic quantity” the 49ers aimed for final season of their pivotal dwelling win over the Los Angeles Rams.
“They ended up with 40 runs and we and 16. We had three turnovers. I believe it’s fairly self-explanatory,” Shanahan stated.
The Falcons didn’t have a 100-yard rusher amid their 168-yard complete, however relatively three gamers every accounted for over 50 yards — Caleb Huntley (59), Tyler Allgeier (51) and Mariota (50).
Kevin Givens, Hassan Ridgeway, Akeem Spence, Kerry Hyder Jr. and Omenihu weren't stout sufficient to clog lanes, permitting Falcons rushers sufficient room to keep away from head-on collisions and pressure one-arm tackles from the linebackers.
Linebacker Fred Warner stated: “I’ve received to offer them props for dictating your complete recreation within the run recreation. … We have been getting knocked again, me included. And we’ve simply received to be higher up entrance, within the entrance seven.”
1. BUSINESS TRAVEL
This was in contrast to the previous two seasons during which the 49ers produced a high-scoring win after their week-long layover at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
Had been the 49ers’ drained vacationers? They appeared fairly energetic finally week’s practices, the place the temper was way more jovial than final season’s between wins at Detroit and Philadelphia.
Kittle launched the narrative that the 49ers weren’t precisely up for Sunday’s recreation:
“We’re the San Francisco 49ers. Now we have an ordinary we play at: We play at a really excessive degree, lots of power, and 100-percent effort each single play,” Kittle stated. “I haven’t watched tape however I don’t know if we gave that as we speak at each single place.
“We had lots of younger guys play and we’re lacking lots of guys. Now we have to verify we’re taking part in at that degree each single snap, or in any other case that (unhealthy recreation) goes to occur.”
Garoppolo didn’t echo that stance, noting: “We’ve been in West Virginia earlier than. That may’t be an excuse for the way we performed as we speak. Now we have to return to the drafting board, suck it up, watch the movie on the flight dwelling, get after it tomorrow, and transfer on. We’ve received a giant one this subsequent week.”
The 49rs are going to maintain lacking lots of guys, and extra are going to get harm. Those that play should maximize their alternatives and, as Ryans implored them in his third-quarter speech, do their job.